Topic: LGBT Rights

Mar 3,

1873

Comstock Act Passed – Era of Censorship Begins

May 16,

1914

Judge Learned Hand Rebukes Anti-Obscenity Crusader Anthony Comstock

Feb 14,

1921

Obscenity Charges for Publishing “Ulysses”

Apr 5,

1926

H. L. Mencken Arrested in Boston in Arranged Censorship Case

Apr 16,

1929

“An American Tragedy:” Obscenity Trial Opens in Boston

Apr 23,

1929

Mary Ware Dennett, Sex Education and Birth Control Pioneer, Found Guilty of Obscenity

Dec 6,

1933

Classic Novel “Ulysses” Ruled Not Pornographic!

Feb 28,

1934

“The Nudist” Magazine Banned by NYC License Commissioner

Apr 20,

1937

From Internee to Star Trek to Same-Sex Activist: George Takei Born

Apr 11,

1938

“Birth of a Baby” Public Health Photographs Called Obscene

Dec 7,

1942

“Native Son” Play, Temporarily Closed Under Catholic Pressure, Reopens in NYC

Mar 29,

1950

Lavender Scare: Senator Claims “Thousands” of Homosexuals in Federal Government

Nov 11,

1950

Mattachine Society Founded – First National Gay Men’s Rights Group

Apr 11,

1953

Mattachine Society Draws 500 to Gay Rights Convention in LA

Sep 21,

1955

Daughters of Bilitis Founded; First U.S. Lesbian Group

Jan 12,

1956

Erotica Publisher Samuel Roth is Convicted of Obscenity, Heads to Supreme Court

Feb 7,

1956

Samuel Roth (“the Prometheus of the Unprintable”) is Convicted

Mar 25,

1957

Stop that Poem! Customs Seizes Copies of Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl”

Jun 3,

1957

You Can’t Read “Howl”! Publisher of Now-Classic Poem Arrested

Jun 24,

1957

Obscenity Not Protected by the First Amendment: “Roth v. United States”

Sep 7,

1957

First New York Meeting of the Daughters of Bilitis, First Lesbian Group in America

Jan 13,

1958

Supreme Court Ends Post Office Ban on Homosexual Materials

Jan 27,

1961

Activist Frank Kameny Brings First Gay Rights Case to the Supreme Court

Jun 20,

1964

Lesbian Conference Hears Two Drs. Challenge Idea that Homosexuality is a Disease

Apr 17,

1965

Mattachine Society Pickets White House to Demand Equal Rights for Homosexuals

Feb 19,

1966

National Planning Conference of Homophile Organizations Held

Apr 21,

1966

Gay Rights “Sip-In” at Julius’ Bar, NYC

Jun 28,

1969

Stonewall Inn Riots – Lesbian, Gay Rights Movement Born

Nov 2,

1969

First Gay Pride March Proposed

Jun 27,

1970

First Gay Pride Parade Held in Chicago

Jun 28,

1970

First Gay Liberation Day (Gay Pride March) in New York City

Jun 21,

1973

Supreme Court Develops “Miller Test” on Obscenity

Nov 10,

1973

Lambda Legal Defense Fund Holds First Formal Meeting

Mar 25,

1975

First Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S.?

May 21,

1976

Candidate Jimmy Carter Opposes Discrimination Against Homosexuals

Mar 26,

1977

Lesbian and Gay Activists Meet in White House, First Time Ever

Jun 7,

1977

Miami Gay Rights Ordinance Repealed

Jun 18,

1977

President Carter Puts Foot in Mouth – Calls Same-Sex Relationships “Not Normal”

Nov 7,

1977

Harvey Milk, Openly Gay Man, Elected San Francisco Supervisor

Mar 20,

1978

Florida Supreme Court Rules Homosexuals Can Practice Law

Aug 1,

1978

Midge Costanza, Carter Administration Rights Advocate, Resigns

Nov 7,

1978

California Voters Reject Ban on Lesbians, Gays Teaching in Public Schools

Nov 27,

1978

Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone Assassinated in San Francisco

Oct 14,

1979

National March for Lesbian and Gay Rights

Aug 11,

1980

Democratic Party Platform Supports Homosexual Rights For the First Time

Mar 2,

1982

Wisconsin First State to Ban Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Nov 14,

1985

Gay Rights Town Hall Meeting, GLAAD Formed

Oct 11,

1987

National Coming Out Day – March in Washington

Oct 11,

1988

Lesbian and Gay Rights Group ACT UP Shuts Down FDA for a Day

Nov 6,

1990

Seattle Voters Reject Repeal of Domestic Partnership Ordinance

Jul 13,

1992

Roberta Achtenberg, First Openly Lesbian Woman to Address National Political Convention

Dec 21,

1993

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy on Homosexuals in the Military Formally Adopted

Feb 17,

1994

Randy Shilts, Journalist and AIDS Activist, Dies

Feb 8,

1996

President Clinton Signs Communications Decency Act; ACLU Immediately Sues

May 20,

1996

Victory for Lesbian and Gay Rights in the Supreme Court: “Romer v. Evans”

Sep 21,

1996

President Clinton Signs Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

Oct 7,

1998

Matthew Shepard, Gay Student, Beaten, Robbed, Left to Die

Dec 20,

1999

Vermont Supreme Court Affirms Rights of Same-Sex Couples

Apr 26,

2000

Vermont Legalizes Civil Unions

Jul 1,

2000

Vermont Civil Union Law Takes Effect

Nov 18,

2003

Massachusetts State Court Establishes Right to Same-Sex Marriage

May 17,

2004

Same-Sex Marriages Begin in Massachusetts

May 22,

2007

Edie Windsor and Thea Speyer Marry – Then Make History in 2013

Nov 4,

2008

Proposition 8 – California Bans Same-Sex Marriage

Apr 3,

2009

Iowa Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Apr 7,

2009

Vermont Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

May 6,

2009

Maine (Temporarily) Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Jun 3,

2009

New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Dec 18,

2009

Washington, D.C. Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Dec 4,

2010

California Proposition 8, Ban on Same-Sex Marriage, Declared Unconstitutional

Nov 2,

2010

Three Judges Removed From Iowa Supreme Court – Voted For Same-Sex Marriage

Feb 23,

2011

Obama Administration Stops Defending Defense of Marriage Act

Jun 24,

2011

New York State Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Jul 18,

2011

Paul Oetken Confirmed as First Openly Gay Man to be Federal Judge

Feb 21,

2012

Censorship Foe Barney Rosset Dies

May 9,

2012

President Obama Endorses Same-Sex Marriage

Jun 15,

2012

Obama Hosts First-Ever Gay Pride Reception at White House

Jul 7,

2012

Rep. Barney Frank Marries Longtime Partner

Nov 6,

2012

Quadruple Electoral Win for Same-Sex Marriage

Dec 17,

2012

Richard Adams, Gay Rights Pioneer, Dies

Jun 26,

2013

Same-Sex Marriage Victory: Supreme Court Declares DOMA Unconstitutional

Mar 26,

2015

Indiana Passes Anti-Gay “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” – Backs Off a Week Later

Jun 23,

2015

Stonewall Inn, Center of Birth of Lesbian and Gay Rights Movement, Gains Landmark Status

Jun 26,

2015

Same-Sex Marriage Constitutional ! – Supreme Court Rules

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